Control switch



March 19, 1929. H. E. TOWER CONTROL SWITCH Filed Nov. 18, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 2 5755555 mmm March 19, 1929. H. E. TOWER CONTROL SWITCH2 Sheets-Sheet.

Filed Nov. 18, 1927 Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES HERSCHEL E. TOWER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THEBALDWIN COMPANY OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CONTROL SWITCH.

gree. One means of doing this is to open.

certain holes in a switch, which causes the operation of the controlPneumatics in the air tension box so that the pneumatic player actionwill operate at the desired tension.

The object of this invention is to have the lever and valve on thecontrol switch thrown to a position where the air tension in the playeraction will be controlled to the lowest degree after each roll isplayed. By this arrangement it is impossible for any one to put a rollon and set the switch to the highest degree and let the player operateindefinitely as the lever will return automatically to the lowest markwhen the player rewinds.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a. diagrammaticvicw oil" parts of a mechanicalinstrument,

showing the roll box, gearing, control switch, pneumatic act-ion,tension control box and power plant. Fig. 2 is a detailed view of thecontrol switch showing the tension control handle in. two differentpositions and how it will be brought back to the lowest degree by theaction of the rewind lever.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the control switch with two holes openand controlling the air tension to the medium or MF degree.

Fig. l is a perspective view of the control switch in the position itwill be returned to by the action of the rewind-replay lever andcontrolling or setting the air tension back to the lowest degree.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the roll box 1 is made witha control switch 2, an indicator plate 3 and the lever 4 which beingattached to the valve 5, can be moved to open one or more holes in thecontrol switch 2, which holes are attached by suitable tubing to the airtension control box 6 so as to give the desired tension when playing aroll 01 music that has no automatic expression holes out in it.

The rewind and replay handle 7 that shifts the pinion 8 and large gear16, out of engagement with pin 17 and sprocket 18 for rewinding, andinto engagement with clutch collar 19 for playing has an extension 9that extends below the shelf 10. A wire 11 is slidably mounted in a stud12 on the lever i and pivotally attached at its other end to theextension 9 that extends below the shelf 10. hen the lever l is set atPP this wire will slide in the stud 12 and not move the lever 4.

When a roll has been put into the roll box 1 the rewind and replayhandle 7 is slid to e left and the control lever 4 is moved to c ther P,Mi F or FF position as desired. l1or instance, if the lover l is placedat MF position, then the valve 5 is moved for enough to open holes inthe switch and operate respective valves in the tension control box 6 togive a medium tension of air.

lVithout the application of this invention, if the lever 4 were to beset at F1! and the player action set to rewind automatically and repeatand is then left to keep on playing, it would be such a strain on thepumper l3 and motor 14 that they would soon become overheated. Toovercome this the wire 11 has a collar 15 that works against the stud 12when the rewind handle is set to rewind, torcing the lever 4i and thevalve 5 to a position where all holes in the switch 2 are closed,thereby setting the air tension at the lowest degree for the start ofthe nextroll. This also sets the air tension at the proper degree tooperate with a roll that has holes cut for the automaticcontrol of theair tension.

Many different designs of switches may be used, but what I claim as myinvention is:

1. A. i'i'iecha'nical musical instrument having air tension controllingmeans and gear shitting means and a connection from said gear shiftingmeans to said air controlling means to set the said air controllingmeans at the lolwestdegree of tension after playing are 1 roll.

2. A mechanical musical instrument hav HERSGHEL E. TOWER.

